Hey guys, i was thinking, i would love to SAS but seems like im guna need to do quite a bit of saving before that, so i been thinking, for my fix, would it be safe to put in some chromoly axles in the TTB, heavy duty u-joints, lift the truck 6-8", slap on some 36" TSL's, 3.56 gears and air lockers? will it hold up? wat about the rear? will it hold up stock of will i have to beef it up?

(oh and im not expereinceed with fab work or measurments at all which is why SAS is out of the question for me for a while)

 

Define "safe". When you romp on it, something has to give. If the tires have too much grip to slip, then the U-joints break. If you upgrade the u-joints, the axleshafts will break. If you upgrade the axles, the differentials will grenade. If you upgrade the diffs, the gears will spit teeth thru the rear cover. If you upgrade the gears, the trans will frag. If you upgrade the trans, the clutch will burn out. If you upgrade the clutch, the engine will bog, and you'll install a bigger one, and start the whole cycle over.

So start from the other end: what are you trying to do that you can't do with the stock axle? And what axle is it? Your profile says '99, but you're asking about a TTB which wasn't used after '96. Whatever it is that you can't do: is it because of the AXLE, or is because of YOU? A skilled driver who knows his vehicle can go farther in a Taurus than an unskilled driver in a HMMWV. Have you spent a few years getting to know your truck and the terrain you drive on to learn how they work together (or DON'T, as the case may be)? If you've only driven a few hundred miles off-road, don't blame the axle, and don't waste your money. Drive your truck as-is, and learn what it can do once you know how. It'll probably surprise you.

 

ok sorry, i wasnt specific enough. I have a 1995 Bronco, the 99 is my f150. anyways the only terrain i offroad in is South florida mud. Its the black swampy muck. I jus want to be able to run minimum 36" tire and have it locked, cuz i hate badass trucks with nice tires and open diffs, especially wen locked diffs make a huge difference. i want 36" up tires because i want to go as big as i can go without breaking something the second i step on the gas cuz im stuck. i kno how to operate the truck in the mud i run threw, i bee doin it for years with other trucks and atv's, and i kno wen to quit and jus get pulled out, and i dont ever drive it like i stole it, i drive it to last. anyways, i guess thats my question, how to run 36's the safest way for my bronco. Hopefully thats clears it up a little.

 

safest way inspect ur whole front end ball joints tie rods universals bearings. for mud u probly wouldnt need moly shafts install ur lockers and id got with 4.56 gears for that tire and so all that replace anyh worn componits and get a good alinement after lift and u should have alot of relieable driving aswell as off roading

 

A Bronco won't go far in a swamp no matter how it's built, or who's driving it. It's too heavy, and putting bigger parts on it only makes it heavier. You can't drive on top like an Iceland lake runner because of the trees, gators, islands, & econazis; you can't drive on the bottom because there isn't one; and you can't float because it's too heavy and doesn't have tracks under the frame. (I spent a few years in South Louisiana testing everything I could think of. )

But with modest tires & careful driving, you CAN get it through some thick mud, but it takes wheel speed, momentum, *****, & money. Things WILL break, and if you keep stock axles, they'll be easy-to-find & affordable. If you swap to a built aftermarket axle, the truck will spend months waiting for $$ to order parts from Nevada or Michigan, and then someone has to install them. You can change an entire stock axle from the JY in a couple of hours, and it costs less than 1 new tire.

So I recommend going to 33x12.50R15s (with NO lift) and saving for some kind of upgraded differential. Meanwhile, buy a FEW good straps/cables/chains/ropes, and either a come-along, Hi-Lift, or winch. And always wheel with a FEW equipped trucks.

 

thanks lost hillbilly, sounds like thats more in my direction.

And steve, thanks for the advice to, but i already have a 4in lift on the truck, soon to be 6", and i aslo dont like "non" lifted trucks, and 33's are a little to small for me, i kno ur setup sounds to be more on the safer less extreme side, but thats a little to mellow for me, i need a lift and tires about 35" or above, or else i lose interest haha. if the f250's on 38" tsl's i go with can make it threw the deep stuff, im sure i wont have a problem following, and i avoid the real "guarenteed im going to get stuck mud" but your advice on the axles part makes sense. but isnt it easier and cheaper to replace a u-joint than it is an axle? so if i get a stronger axle, the u-joint will break first rite?

 

true but if u have bad ujoints in ur axels they will bind when u turnreplacing them is just for peice of mind and if ur using ur 4wd in the snow.

trust me bad front end parts on a lifted 4wd in the snow sucks

get greasable everything in ur front end mud washes ur greas out

i use to add greas after every time id go out muddin and it realy mad a differance in the life of the parts

 

Define "easier". It's easier to change the whole front axle than to change the R inner u-joint, and not much harder than changing the outboard u-joints. The stock axleshafts are already stronger than the u-joints, so you don't have to buy axles to get that protection.

BTW
ALL u-joints bind when you steer hard, regardless of quality. And greasable parts are physically weaker than non-greasable, and their grease gets lost faster than non-greasables because their seals are constantly blown out by being re-greased. Always use Dana/Spicer/BWD/Moog/TRW non-greasable u-joints, tie rod ends, & ball joints.